Verbeek admits Reds only have themselves to blame for loss to Wanderers

Gertjan Verbeek said Adelaide United have no one to blame but themselves for Friday night’s dramatic defeat to Western Sydney Wanderers.

The Reds dominated possession, chances and territory – and had two penalties in stoppage-time – but still lost 3-2 in a fiery encounter at Coopers Stadium.

It was a tough defeat for the home side to take, especially given their first-half display but they were punished for poor finishing and a couple of defensive lapses.

Red coach Gertjan Verbeek echoed his counterpart’s sentiments in a blunt assessment of the match.

“I find we deserved a lot more (but) we lost, that’s a fact,” Verbeek told reporters post-match.

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“Sometimes football is not honest but we are responsible, nobody else. (They scored) three goals and we made only two.”

“I think we have in the first half, five or six good chances, even in the second half a few good chances.

“I can’t blame them, the mindset was good, the energy was good, we were the boss here.

“We played dominant football, we had chances but we lose the game, that’s the reality.”

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While the Reds were left to lament a wasteful night in front of goal, it was pure relief for the Wanderers.

After going seven games without a win, the visitors simply had to stop the rot and did so thanks to two excellent headers from Nicolai Muller and a first Hyundai A-League goal from Mohamed Adam.

The win not only propels the Wanderers back into the top six – for 24 hours at least – but eases some of the pressure on underfire coach Markus Babbel.

“Football is something you can’t explain because last week we played much better but couldn’t get a result,” Babbel said.

“The week before against Perth, Wellington, we played a much better style of football and we couldn’t get a result there.

“Today wasn’t the best performance, but we got a result, so that’s football.”

The German added: “Every win helps of course.

“If you play well and can’t get a result then you start thinking how it is, why it is.

“The only chance is here on the pitch to try to do anything, try to get a result.”

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Next up…

Western Sydney Wanderers v Brisbane Roar
Wednesday, 1 January 2020
Bankwest Stadium
Kick off: 7.30pm AEDT

Buy tickets and follow in the Match centre

Sydney FC v Adelaide United
Saturday, 4 January 2020
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Kick off: 7.30pm AEDT

Buy tickets and follow in the Match centre

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